Flushing System Due to Impact and Laceration Hazards
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in
cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following
consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise
instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: FlushmateÂ® III Pressure-Assist Flushing SystemUnits: About 2,330,600 in the U.S. and 9,400 in CanadaManufacturer: Flushmate, of New Hudson, Mich., a division of Sloan Valve CompanyHazard: The system can burst at or near the vessel weld seam releasing stored pressure. This
pressure can lift the tank lid and shatter the tank, posing impact or laceration hazards to
consumers and property damage.Incidents/Injuries: Flushmate has received 304 reports of the product bursting, resulting in
property damage and 14 impact or laceration injuries.Description: This recall is for Series 503 FlushmateÂ® III Pressure Assist flushing systems
installed inside toilet tanks. The recalled systems were manufactured from October 1997 to
February 2008. The units are rectangular, black, two-piece vessels made of injection molded
plastic. The date code/serial number is 16 characters long and is located on the label on the top
of the Flushmate III. The first six numerals of the serial number are the date code. The date code
range for this recall begins with 101497 (October 14, 1997) and continues through 063009
(June 30, 2009).Sold at: The Home Depot and Lowe’s stores, distributors and plumbing contractors nationwide
for about $108, and sold to toilet manufacturers including American Standard, Crane, Eljer,
Gerber, Kohler, Mansfield and St. Thomas.
Manufactured in: United StatesRemedy: Consumers should immediately turn off the water supply to the recalled Flushmate IIIunit and stop using the system. Consumers should contact the firm to determine if their
Flushmate III serial number is included in the recall and to request a free repair kit.

WOW, Terry!! I'm guessing that you will be buried in calls as word gets out! I notice that Associated Plumbers is saying that people should install gravity-flush toilets, and you have well documented who makes the best ones!

EDIT: Found a you tube video made two months ago by a pissed-off Dad whose Flushmate exploded after his kid used the family restroom. Good stuff starts at 1:34 in; the beginning is his explanation of the circumstances. The debris from the exploding toilet pierced the bathroom wall and destroyed the plastic humidifier all the way across the room. Obviously, he's disturbed because he figures his kid could have been maimed.

Here's another one from about two years ago. The video doesn't reference flushmate, only the "Las Vegas Killer Toilet" (nobody actually died), but you can see the flushmate sitting there in the wreckage.

I started a thread on this a day or two earlier. Might as well delete that thread since this one has the pictures and video.

I figured that they would try to resolve the safety problem while keeping costs down, so I was expecting them to send the equivalent of a large hose clamp or two and use the hose clamps to keep the two halves intact should the pressure vessel rupture.

Well that is pretty close to what was sent. They sent a U-band and a pressure regulator. I guess the vessel ruptures due to high water pressure. I guess as long as it does not launch the porcelain lid in the air the safety problem is resolved.
Here is the kit that was sent:

I do wonder about how much water may leak when the vessel ruptures. Will it drain from the tank to the bowl fast enough to prevent it the tank from overflowing or is there the potential for a flooding problem? Is the water still contained when this happens? It is probably good insurance to turn off the water supply to the toilet if you are going to be away for an extended period of time.

I have a Cadet 3 Pressure Assist that I pulled from the bathroom on our main floor and was planning to reinstall in our basement whenever we get around to finishing the basement. After seeing the pictures and videos, I'm not sure I want to keep this toilet and that is after installing the "repair kit." Also, I don't like that external regulator. It is ugly and if I had one of these in a commercial establishment, I would be worried about somebody kicking it and breaking it either accidentally or on purpose.

I believe that the newer tanks have the built-in pressure regulator. That would account for the 2008 and before recall. During a class that I was taking, it was mentioned about the reducer for the water pressure. I was wondering if the fix-it kit was going to include the reducer, and I see it does. Adding the U-Band is a nice touch.